1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape loading apparatus used for a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a general tape loading mechanism used in a conventional magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus, a tape is pulled out from a tape cassette and wound around a rotational head cylinder. Transportation members are positioned as follows.
Transportation members having tape guide posts projecting therefrom are transferred and positioned by a plurality of links or arms, which are pivotally engaged with a pivoting shaft of each transportation member.
A tape loading mechanism of a conventional magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus will be described.
FIG. 12 is a plan view of a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus 1200 described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 11-273191. In FIG. 12, a tape 2 is not yet loaded.
An S (supply-side) boat 39 and a T (takeup-side) boat 40 each serve as a tape drawing member provided on a main chassis 8. Pins 41A and 41B provided on the S boat 39, and pins 41C and 41D provided on the T boat 40, are in engagement with a long hole 43 of a rail 42. The S boat 39 and the T boat 40 move along the long hole 43. An S2 post 44 and an S1 post 45 are provided on the S bout 39, and a T1 post 46 and a T2 post 47 are provided on the T boat 40. As the S boat 39 and the T boat 40 move, the posts 44, 45, 46 and 47 act to wind the tape 2 around a rotational head cylinder 38. Reference numeral 48 is a rail section provided on the main chassis 8.
FIG. 13 is another plan view of the tape loading mechanism 1200. FIG. 13 shows a portion of the tape loading mechanism 1200 which is on the main chassis 8. FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the S boat 39 and the T boat 40. In FIGS. 13 and 14, a boat driving arm 73 is supported on the main chassis 8 by a shaft 74. A driving pin 75 standing on a cam gear 66 contacts an inner cam 76 provided on the boat driving arm 73. Thus, the boat driving arm 73 is driven by a pivoting movement of the cam gear 66.
A gear 77 of the boat driving arm 73 is in engagement with a pinion 80 integrated with an S load gear 79, which is supported on the main chassis 8 by a shaft 78.
An S load arm 81 is coaxially supported with the S load gear 79. An S load link 82 is attached to the S load arm 81 via a shaft 83 so that the S load link 52 is rotatable with respect to the S load arm 81. The S load link 82 is also attached to the S boat 39 via a pin 41A so that the S load link 82 is rotatable with respect to the S boat 39.
A T load gear 84 is supported on the main chassis 8 by a shaft 85 and is engaged with the S load gear 79. A T load arm 86 is coaxially supported with the T load gear 84. A T load link 87 is attached to the T load arm 86 via a shaft 88 so that the T load link 87 is rotatable with respect to the T load arm 86. The T load link 87 is also attached to the T boat 40 via a pin 41C so that the T load link 87 is rotatable with respect to the T boat 40.
The S load arm 81 and the S load gear 79 are usually integrated together with a twisted coil spring (not shown) and are pivoted about the shaft 78. The S load gear 79, when rotated clockwise while the S load arm 81 is stopped, is urged counterclockwise by the twisted coil spring. Likewise, the T load arm 86 and the T load gear 84 are usually integrated together with a twisted coil spring (not shown) and are pivoted about the shaft 85. The T load gear 84, when rotated counterclockwise while the T load arm 86 is stopped, is urged clockwise by the twisted coil spring.
The S load gear 79 and the T load gear 84 are driven by a pivoting movement of the boat driving arm 73, and thus the S boat 39 and the T boat 40 move on the rail 42 (FIG. 12) via the S load link 82 and the T load link 87.
FIG. 15 is a plan view of the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus 1200 when the tape 2 is loaded. FIG. 16 shows the boat driving arm 73 when the tape 2 is loaded.
The boat driving arm 73 has been rotated at a maximum possible angle counterclockwise. The S boat 39 and the T boat 40 each have moved to a prescribed position on the main chassis 8 via the gear 77, the S load gear 79, and the T load gear 84. A V-shaped edge 143 of the S boat 39 contacts a boat stopper 141 provided on the main chassis 8, and a V-shaped edge 144 of the T boat 40 contacts a boat stopper 142 also provided on the main chassis 8. Thus, the S boat 39 and the T boat 40 are positioned. The S load gear 79 and the S load arm 81 are integrally rotated while the S boat 39 is moving. The T load gear 84 and the T load arm 86 are integrally rotated while the T boat 40 is moving. The S link 82 and the S load arm 81 are structured so that the S boat 39 reaches a prescribed position in a certain mode, and the T link 87 and the T load arm 86 are structured so that the T boat 40 reaches a prescribed position in the mode. The boat driving arm 73 rotates the S load gear 79 clockwise and rotates the T load gear 84 counterclockwise, both beyond the prescribed positions. Therefore, a rotation phase difference is generated between the S load gear 79 and the S load arm 81 and between the T load gear 84 and the T load arm 86. Therefore, the S boat 39 is put into pressure-contact with the boat stopper 141 by a reaction force of a twisted coil spring (not shown), and the T boat 40 is put into pressure-contact with the boat stopper 142 by a reaction force of a twisted coil spring (not shown).
The above-described conventional tape loading system 1200 has the following problems.
(1) Two arms and two shafts are required in order to convey the driving force from the S load gear 79 to the S boat 39, and two arms and two shafts are required in order to convey the driving force from the T load gear 84 to the T boat 40. Eight components in total are required, which prevents reduction in the number of components.
(2) The S load arm 81 and the T load arm 86 each pivot across a large area during the loading and unloading operations. This makes it difficult to reduce the size of the tape loading system.
A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus for loading a tape from a first state, in which the tape is mounted on a chassis, to a second state, in which a tape running path is formed as a result of a tape guide element pulling out and winding the tape at a prescribed position, the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus is provided, magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a tape guide element guiding member for guiding the tape guide element; a bendable chain-like driving member having a first end and a second end, the chain-like driving member being connected to the tape guide element guiding member at the first end, and the second end of the chain-like driving member being pulled or pushed so as to produce a reciprocating movement of the tape guide element guiding member; and a chain guiding member for guiding the chain-like driving member. The chain-like driving member includes a plurality of flexures for facilitating a bending movement of the chain-like driving member. The chain-like driving member causes a reciprocating movement of the tape guide element while being bent during a loading operation for transferring from the first state into the second state and an unloading operation for transferring from the second state into the first state.
In one embodiment of the invention, the plurality of flexures include flexures in a width direction and flexures in a thickness direction.
In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus further includes a motor rotatable forward and rearward; a rotational member connected to the motor; a chain engagement member provided on the rotational member; and a driving engagement member provided on the second end of the chain-like driving member for being engaged by the chain engagement member. Forward and rearward movement of the motor cause a reciprocating movement of the chain-like driving member.
In one embodiment of the invention, the chain engagement member and the driving engagement member are disengaged from each other either immediately before completion of the loading operation or immediately before completion of the unloading operation, so that the chain engagement member in not continuously engaged with the driving engagement member with respect to the rotation of the rotational member.
In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus further includes a projecting member integrated with the chain-like driving member and provided in the vicinity of the driving engagement member; and a projecting member guiding member for guiding the projecting member. The projecting member is guided by the projecting member guiding member so as to separate the driving engagement member from the chain engagement member either immediately before completion of the loading operation or immediately before completion of the unloading operation.
In one embodiment of the invention, the chain-like driving member includes a first chain-like driving member for driving a reciprocating movement of the tape guide element on a supply side on which the magnetic tape is pulled into the rotational head cylinder, and a second chain-like driving member for driving a reciprocating movement of the tape guide element on a takeup side on which the magnetic tape is pulled out from the rotational head cylinder.
In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus further includes a first rotational member; a second rotational member rotating in association with the first rotational member; a motor for driving the first rotational member and the second rotational member; a first chain engagement member provided on the first rotational member; a first driving engagement member provided on a second end of the first chain-like driving member for being engaged by the first chain engagement member; a second chain engagement member provided on the second rotational member; and a second driving engagement member provided on a second end of the second chain-like driving member for being engaged by the second chain engagement member. Forward and rearward movement of the motor drives a reciprocating movement of the first chain-like driving member and the second chain-like driving member.
In one embodiment of the invention, the chain guiding member includes an upper guiding member for guiding an upper portion of the chain-like driving member; a left guiding member for guiding a left portion of the chain-like driving member; a right guiding member for guiding a right portion of the chain-like driving member; and a lower guiding member for guiding a lower portion of the chain-like driving member, the lower guiding member being formed of a resin and fixed to a metal chassis of the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus.
In one embodiment of the invention, the lower guiding member is formed integrally with the chassis as a result of inserting the chassis into a mold and then performing injection molding of the resin.
In one embodiment of the invention, a portion of the chain guiding member and a portion of the tape guide element guiding member are integrally formed of an identical material.
In one embodiment of the invention, the chain-like driving member has an elasticity in a longitudinal direction of at least 500 MPa.
In one embodiment of the invention, the chain-like driving member in formed of resin.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantages of providing a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus including a low-cost, compact and easy-to-assemble tape loading mechanism having fewer elements.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.